Rotary International celebrates polio-free year

Rotary International has scored itself high for its contributions to ensure that the country is free of polio. Recently, the World Health Organisation (WHO) pronounced Nigeria one year free of polio virus and removed it from list of endemic nations.

At a briefing at the weekend in Lagos, the group’s Nigeria National PolioPlus Committee (NNPPC) Chairman, Dr Tunji Funsho, who described the feat as ‘’a milestone,’’ said it came about as result of many factors: its members’ contributions, donors and government’s cooperation.

He said since 1996, Rotary has spent $207million on the disease’s eradication, its partners $8billion, adding that worldwide, the organisation spent over $1.9billion.

He said while there were 12 cases in 2012, the figure came down to six in 2013 and last year, adding that since July 24, last year, there had been no case of the virus in the country.

He said the achievements would have been recorded much earlier if not for the insurgency and the apathy towards the polio immunisation programme in the North.

Funsho recalled that in 2000, in some states in the North, the immunisation programme was abandoned because some parents refused to cooperate with its officials, claiming that the drugs were anti-fertile.

He said it took the intervention of the government and Rotary to solve the problem.

But Funsho urged Nigerians not to rest on its oars to ensure that Nigeria is polio free by 2017 so that it can be given the certification status by WHO.

He called for intensified routine immunisation; ensure children in insecurity-prone areas were reached, timely response to any outbreak and fortification of Nigeria’s borders against the importation of the disease.

He called for more advocacy, funds, more awareness and volunteers.

“Polio remains our focus. Until it is eradicated, we will not leave it. We are not yet polio free. So, all hands must be on deck,’’ he said.

Rotary International District 9110 Governor Bola Onabadejo also called more efforts to meet the 2017 target. He sought for peace in the conflict areas of the country to enable the immunisation officials reach them.

“We have two more years of hard work to ensure that Nigeria is out of polio,’’ he added.

Vice Chairman, NNPPC, Abayomi Adewunmi said Rotary was set to celebrate the World Polio Day on October 24. He said activities had been planned for a week to end on the Polio day.